THE TOWN OF NEW ROCHELLE. 65 1 



stances of the people professing the church at New Rochelle, it will appear to 

 require the utmost exertion of our abilities to afford that necessary support to 

 Mr. Houdin, that the Society expect and require ; and if we should be Obliged 

 to raise four hundred pounds, to build a new Parsonage House, the old being 

 so decayed, that It is thought by no means worth Repairing, especially at this 

 Burthensome Time, we have the greatest reason to fear thai it will be so ex- 

 tremely heavy, that many will be Discouraged— and in that case that Mr. Houdin 

 must leave us, tho' he is the only Minister in the place ; and Indeed there are but 

 few Besides professors of the Church of England in the Place, and we have 

 reason to hope that they may be induced to conform, should a worthy Minister 

 continue among us. Upon those considerations, we beg your Honor will be 

 pleased to grant a Brief, through this Province, to collect the aforesaid sum of 

 four Hundred Pound, for building a new Parsonage House, to repair the church 

 in this place, and your Petitioners as in bound, shall ever Pray, &c, 



Baenaed Rynlander, Petee Baetine, Isaac Guion, 

 Jacobus Bleeckee, James DeBlez, Jean Soulice. 



David Lispenaed, 

 August 19th, 1761, read in Council and granted. "« 



During the incumbency of Mr. Houdin, Trinity church received its 

 first charter from King George the Third, under which the present cor- 

 poration still enjoys its trust and exercises its powers. The following 

 extracts are taken from the petition to the Governor: 



PETITION OF THE FRENCH CHURCH AT NEW ROCHELLE. 



' ' To the Honourable Cadwallader Colden, Esq. , Lieutenant Governor and 

 Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New York, and the Territories de- 

 pending thereon in America, &c. 



In Council. 

 The petition of the Subscribers, Inhabitants of the Township of New Rochel in 

 the Manor of Pelham, in the County of Westchester, 

 Humbly Sheweth : 

 That the petitioners are members of the French Church at New Rochel afore- 

 said, and principally descendants from French Protestants, who fled from the 

 religious persecution in France in the year one thousand six hundred and eighty- 

 one, &c. 



And the Petitioners further shew unto your Honour, that their said Church is 

 at presently greatly decayed and out of repair, and their Minister or Pastor but 

 indifferently provided for, &c. 



Your Petitioners therefore most humbly pray, that your Majesty's Royal 

 Charter confirming to them the said Church, and the Lands and other Rights 

 thereunto appertaining, and also creating and constituting them, and the rest of 

 the members of the said Church, a body politic and Corporate, &c. 



And the Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray, &c. 

 New Rochelle, 1st of Feb., 1762. Michael Houdin, Minister. 



(signed by 91 others. ) 

 12th of May, 1762, read in Council and granted. "& 



a Doc. Hist, of N. Y., vol. iii. pp. 954-5 

 b Doc. His. of N. Y., vol. ii, p. 955. 



